Articles by Jack Quick

It seems Tesla is listening to customer feedback after all and is willing to right its wrongs.

China’s Leapmotor is reportedly set to reveal a new model at this year’s IAA Mobility show in Munich which runs from September 9-14, 2025. As reported by Autocar, this new Leapmotor model will be a Volkswagen Golf-sized electric hatchback called the B05. This will give the Chinese carmaker a rival to the likes of the Cupra Born and MG4. The Leapmotor B05 is reportedly based on the same 'Leap 3.5' platform as the B10 small SUV and the B01 small sedan. This means the B05 will likely be rear-wheel drive with electric powertrains and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs that operate on an 800V electrical architecture. It also wouldn’t be surprising if a range-extender (REEV) powertrain option becomes available for the B05 down the track as it was recently confirmed for the B10. The exterior design of the Leapmotor B05 will reportedly be inspired by the B10. It’ll have an aerodynamic silhouette, as well as full-width light bars front and rear. Inside, a 14.6-inch touchscreen multimedia system is expected, like the B10. At this stage pricing for the Leapmotor B10 hasn’t been confirmed, but Autocar indicates it could be under £30,000 (A$62,700) in the UK. For context, the most affordable Leapmotor in Australia currently is the C10 Style REEV at $43,888, before on-road costs. The smaller B10, which is due to launch locally later this year, will likely undercut this price. This forthcoming B05 electric hatch will reportedly spawn a lower-riding sibling called the A05, which would likely be a closer rival to the likes of the BYD Dolphin and GWM Ora. The B10 small SUV will also form as a base for the forthcoming entry-level crossover, dubbed the A10. No further details about the Leapmotor A05 and A10 have been confirmed yet. Leapmotor was founded in 2015 and it currently has seven vehicles in its line-up globally, ranging from tiny city cars to large seven-seat SUVs. Stellantis owns a 21 per cent share in Leapmotor and a 51 per cent slice in Leapmotor International that conducts all activity for the brand outside China. Distribution in Australia is currently through Stellantis’ Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Jeep dealer network.

Tesla has officially revealed the long-wheelbase version of its top-selling Model Y electric SUV in China. Dubbed the Tesla Model Y L, this long-wheelbase electric SUV offers six seats as standard in a 2+2+2 seating configuration. It’s worth noting this isn’t the first time Tesla has fitted a third row of seating into the Model Y. In pre-update form, a seven-seat option with the standard wheelbase was offered in certain markets, including the U.S. It wasn’t offered in Australia. The Model Y L measures in at 4976mm long, 1982mm wide and 1668mm tall, which is 179mm longer and 45mm taller than the standard Model Y, with a 150mm longer wheelbase. Compared to the standard Model Y, the Model Y L has longer rear doors, a lengthened three-quarter panel, as well as a higher roof line. These all contribute to being able to package the third row of seating. There are also unique 19-inch ‘Rotating Mecha’ alloy wheels and ‘Model YYY’ badging on the tailgate. At this stage the Tesla Model Y L is only being offered with a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrain. Tesla hasn’t confirmed the total system output, though previous reports say it produces 340kW, which is 9kW more than the standard-wheelbase Long Range AWD. Tesla claims the Model Y L can do the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.5 seconds, which is 0.2 seconds slower than the regular Model Y Long Range AWD. Top speed is 201km/h. While the company hasn’t detailed what battery specifications the Model Y L has, it’s claimed to have up to 751km of range, according to lenient CLTC testing. Inside, there are second-row captain’s chairs that have electrically folding armrests. Both the front- and second-row seats offer heating and ventilation. The third-row seats also offer heating. The Model Y L also picks up air vents mounted on the pillars for the second- and third-row, as well as an 18-speaker sound system (up from 14 speakers in the Model Y Long Range AWD). Long-wheelbase versions of cars are very popular in China, with a number of vehicles gaining stretched body styles exclusively for that market. While all versions of the Tesla Model Y that are sold in Australia are produced in China, it’s still unclear whether the Model Y L will be offered locally. "Model Y L is a China specific product for now, we will continue to assess new products for our market as they become available," said a Tesla spokesperson.

Honda Australia has dropped a new allocation of its supply-limited Civic Type R hot hatch. The Japanese carmaker has claimed there’s “strong customer demand” for this hot hatch and customers that have signed up will be prioritised. Now with a starting price of $79,000, drive-away, the Honda Civic Type R is $4900 more expensive than it was when it was last on sale. It’s now also over $23,000 more expensive than the top-specification regular Civic variant, the e:HEV LX. A highlight change with this 2025 production run is a new 'Racing Blue' exterior paint colour option. It replaces 'Rally Red' in the colour options. 'Championship White', 'Crystal Black' and 'Sonic Grey' continue to be offered and are all no-cost options. There’s also a new optional carbon-fibre spoiler available for an additional $5300. Power still comes from a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine which produces 235kW of power and 420Nm of torque. This is mated exclusively to a six-speed manual gearbox with drive sent to the front wheels only. It’s still covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty with five years' 'premium roadside assistance'. Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever comes first, and the first five services are capped at $199 each. “Civic Type R has captured the imagination of Australians for generations and continues to represent the pinnacle of performance in small cars,” said Honda Australia Director of Automotive Robert Thorp. “We’re pleased to welcome the new Racing Blue colour providing a genuine performance model halo presence.” Looking beyond the Civic Type R, Honda is soon set to announce model year updates for the CR-V and ZR-V SUVs which will include more hybrid trims and Google Built-In software for the multimedia system. Additionally, the new-generation Prelude is set to launch in mid-2026 and later in 2026 Honda will launch its first electric vehicle (EV) in Australia.

Volkswagen has published its first official teaser image of the forthcoming next-generation T-Roc small SUV ahead of its expected reveal at this year’s Munich motor show in September.

The Techno is the flagship trim in the Australian Renault Duster line-up.

The Evolution is the entry-level trim in the Australian Renault Duster line-up.

There's quick and then there's the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. With a starting price of around $420,000 before on-roads and options, this flagship EV offering is an exercise in over-the-top styling and outrageous pace.

Details for the upcoming model year 2026 (MY26) Hyundai Tucson line-up have arisen online ahead of deliveries commencing in September. Pricing for the 2026 Hyundai Tucson line-up is down by as much as $2500 for carryover variants. It now starts at $38,100 before on-roads for the base Tucson petrol automatic, and extends to $59,600 before on-roads for the Premium Hybrid N Line all-wheel drive. A full pricing table is at the bottom of this story. A highlight of this MY26 update is the discontinuation of the 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. This follows the smaller Hyundai Kona ditching the same engine also for MY26. According to sales figures provided by Hyundai Australia, the 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine was the slowest-selling Tucson engine option. From June 2024 to July 2025 it only accounted for 17 per cent of Tucson sales. For context, the 1.6-litre hybrid engine accounted for 51 per cent of sales and the 2.0-litre petrol engine accounted for the remaining 32 per cent of sales over the same period. Beyond the axing of the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine, Hyundai has also discontinued the N Line package for the base Tucson and Tucson Hybrid. This package is now only offered on Elite Hybrid and Premium Hybrid trims. As a result of these changes, the 2026 Hyundai Tucson is only being offered in nine variants. This is down from 17 variants for MY25. The 1.6-litre hybrid engine now also accounts for almost 80 per cent of the variants on offer locally. It’s still offered in front- and all-wheel drive guises, depending on the trim level. Another change for MY26 includes Digital Key 2 functionality now coming as standard across the line-up. This allows you to use your smartphone as a key for the car. The entry-level Tucson variants now also receive 17-inch alloy wheels, instead of the 18-inch units that are currently fitted. Hyundai hasn’t published any imagery for this new wheel option yet. There’s a new Ecotronic Grey Pearl exterior paint colour option available across the line-up, as well as a new Ecotronic Grey Matte finish that’s exclusive to the N Line variants. These paint finishes cost an additional $750 and $1000, respectively.  

Australia doesn't get the full-blooded Dacia Duster, but Renault has just launched the next best thing. With the option of all-wheel drive and a manual gearbox, does this Suzuki Jimny and Subaru Crosstrek rival offer enough to make it stand out from the crowd?